In one of his most penetrating books, Peter Kreeft ponders, as a Christian philosopher, the meaning of a terminal illness we all have: death. How we approach death, feel about death, cope with death, and actually die depends on how we answer the question of what death is. As Kreeft states, "Life is either totally meaningless or totally meaningful, depending on what death is."
The three vital, intertwining questions of Life, Death, and God are approached through a variety of human experiences which help the reader to see death as "a person, not a personification." Kreeft envisions five succeeding faces of death, first as an enemy, then stranger, friend, mother, and finally as lover. Throughout the entire exploratory journey from enemy to lover, Kreeft moves logically and deftly, encouraging the reader to continue by pointing out the necessity for really understanding this profound mystery in order to live wisely.
Kreeft's book is a new statement of the Christian vision, the Christian message: the meaning of our existence, and of death, is the fulfillment of our deepest and purest desire: the desire for the infinite joy and love of God.